Hadhramaut

Hadhramaut or Hadramawt (Arabic: ?????? ) is a governorate of the Republic of Yemen and a wider historical region of the south Arabian peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen (proper) to the Dhofar region of Oman. The people of Hadhramaut are called Hadhramis.

Related Topics:
Arabic - Governorate - Yemen - Arabia - Gulf of Aden - Arabian Sea - Dhofar - Oman

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Narrowly, Hadhramaut refers to the historical Qu'aiti and Kathiri sultanates, which were British protectorates in the Aden Protectorate overseen by the British Resident at Aden until their abolition upon the independence of South Yemen in 1967. The current governorate of Hadhramaut roughly incorporates the former territory of the two sultanates. It consists of a narrow, arid coastal plain bounded by the steep escarpment of a broad plateau (averaging 1,370 m ), with a very sparse network of deeply sunk wadis (seasonal watercourses). The undefined northern edge of Hadhramaut slopes down to the desert Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia.

Related Topics:
Qu'aiti - Kathiri - Sultan - British - Protectorate - Aden Protectorate - British Resident - Aden - South Yemen - 1967 - Coastal plain - Escarpment - Plateau - Wadi - Empty Quarter - Saudi Arabia

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In a wider sense, Hadhramaut includes the territory of Mahra to the east all the way to the contemporary border with Oman. This encompasses the current governorates of Hadramaut and Mahra in their entirety as well as parts of the Shabwah Governorate.

Related Topics:
Mahra - Oman - Shabwah

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The Hadhramis live in densely-built towns centered on traditional watering stations along the wadis. Hadhramis harvest crops of wheat, millet, tend date palm and coconut groves, and grow some coffee. On the plateau Bedouins tend sheep and goats. Society is still highly tribal, with the old Seyyid aristocracy descended from Muhammad, traditionally educated and strict in their Islamic observance, highly respected in religious and secular affairs. Hadhramaut emigration on a large scale since the early 19th century has established large Hadhrami minorities in South East Asia, namely Java, Sumatra, Malacca and Singapore.

Related Topics:
Wheat - Millet - Date palm - Coconut - Coffee - Bedouin - Aristocracy - Muhammad - Islam - Emigration - 19th century - Java - Sumatra

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Though Bible dictionaries derive 'Hadhramaut' from Hazarmaveth, a son of Joktan in the Book of Genesis 10:26-28, the name 'Hadhramaut' actually derives from Greek hydreumata or enclosed (and often fortified) 'watering stations' at wadis. A hydreuma is a manned and fortified watering hole or way station along a caravan route. Juris Zarins, rediscoverer of the city of Ubar, described that site in a 'Nova' interview:

Related Topics:
Bible - Joktan - Book of Genesis - Caravan - Ubar - Nova

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:'The site that we uncovered at Shisur was a kind of fortress/administration center set up to protect the water supply from raiding Bedouin tribes. Surrounding the site, as far as six miles away, were smaller villages, which served as small-scale encampments for the caravans. An interesting parallel to this are the fortified water holes in the Eastern Desert of Egypt from Roman times. There, they were called hydreumata.'

Related Topics:
Egypt - Roman

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The frankincense trees that supplied the 'Incense Road' grew to the east of Hadhramaut, in Dhofar.

Related Topics:
Frankincense - Incense Road

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